Album Notes

Rip-roaring, foot-stomping, jazz-inflected klezmer and Balkan music from some of Scotland’s finest musicians. An intoxicating, life-affirming mix of Eastern European dance music, Middle Eastern rhythms and viruoso performances.

Formed in Edinburgh in 2003, Moishe’s Bagel combines the energy and passion of Eastern European folk music with the excitement and soul of improvisation. Boasting some of the best instrumentalists that Scotland has to offer (Salsa Celtica, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Celtic Feet, Scottish National Jazz Orchestra), we are equally at home jamming in a late night jazz den, grooving at a forest festival, or enthralling an upmarket concert hall.

Everything began when four of us met in a local tango outfit, and once we had recruited a percussion wizard to give a new twist to the klezmer/Balkan groove, we knew we had found an unbeatable mix. Not too concerned with authenticity (there are enough people doing that already), we let the interaction of our individual musical personalities create our style. Our sound mixes klezmer, folk dance, jazz, eastern percussion and more, topped off with dazzling technique and classical rigour. Our live sets feature quite a bit of improvisation, whilst the energy keeps them highly danceable, as well as visually and aurally exciting. We are also building up an impressive body of original material.

Over the last two years we have toured England, Scotland, Ireland and Eastern Europe, plus regular appearances around Edinburgh and Glasgow. We have performed at the numerous UK festivals, and this summer we had sell-out shows at the Edinburgh Jazz Festival and the Famous Spiegeltent. We have featured on BBC Radio 3’s Late Junction, performed live sessions for Radio Scotland and RTE, and our albums have reached as far afield as Tel-Aviv, South America and Cape Town.

"exhilarating, full-flavoured stuff, often breath-takingly intricate but played with jubilation … the Bagel acquires the momentum of an express train" The Herald

“expressive and raunchy … improvising confidence but with a classical attention to detail … striking new material” The Guardian

“fabulous neo-klezmer … a wicked sense of humour and massive chops that extend to Scots music, Latin and well beyond - they're going to go places” Global Village Idiot Magazine